sweet lips on mine
by swallowedminds
Summary: "She's so happy she's not sitting at the singles table, couldn't fathom not being here to witness the pure joy painted across his face." Episode insert for 4x11. For Alex.


**sweet lips on mine**

She's so happy she's not sitting at the singles table, couldn't fathom not being here to witness the pure joy painted across his face: the crinkles by his eyes, the vibrations his laughter send into the air, the brightness in his features, all of it. All of him.

Her entire being is drawn to him, so much so that she forgets to take pictures of anyone else. At the most random times he makes her want to capture the moment. When he's talking or laughing, or just sitting silently.

He catches her while everyone is eating dinner.

The tables are set up in eights. She's sitting on the end next to Esposito, while Castle is next to Jenny's mother as per her request. The woman was so taken with him that Beckett couldn't possible say no when she asked her if it was alright if she stole her "man."

She shut the flash off just to be able to sneak pictures in, Jenny kept requesting that no more of her were taken; Kate had taken about a hundred of her, but Ryan shook his head behind his wife's back and rolled his first finger to tell her to keep going with them. The loudness of Ryan's family masks the sound of camera's "click" and she wonders- as an after thought- if all Irish people are this loud. The chatter, the music, even the dancing is rambunctious. But in the best possible way.

Kate doesn't know what made him look up in the middle of a forkful of potato salad, but he catches her just as she's snapping a picture.

She feels her face flush a deep crimson, her embarrassment stopping her breath short, but she forces herself to meet his eyes. And God, he's _laughing_ at her. That quiet chuckle he does when he thinks he's said something funny and it drives her mad. He watches her- or rather, she watches him- until he's finished swallowing the potato salad. Kate stares as his throat works the food down and then his tongue, pink and plump, and _wet_, pokes out to wipe the last remnants of food from his lips. Why couldn't it be her tongue again?

"Having fun there, Beckett?" He smirks, his eyes glowing with mischief.

Her throat closes up and she panics for a half a second before he winks and looks away.

Smug bastard.

* * *

He's being touchy. She can't say that she doesn't like it.

Since he caught her taking that picture his hand had started taking some liberties. Touching the small of her back, her knee, her forearm. His skin is so soft, his fingers slightly calloused causing goosebumbs to rise and spread chills, as intense as the ones that wracked her that night in L.A, throughout her body. The night's not even halfway over and she's already so worked up.

The party moves outside where more dancing takes place and Lanie drags her out there so they don't miss any of the action.

The sun is blaring down and it takes a few moments for her eyes to readjust and the second they clear the first thing she makes out is him.

He's standing in the middle of the crowd staring directly at her. The music pulses louder out here, erasing the voids, all empty spaces filled with the soulful beat of music and company. And there he is, this crazy, beautiful man, who could have any woman here, is staring at her; his large, hopeful eyes are only for her.

Lanie brings her a glass a wine (her third one so far) and raises her eyebrows in accusation.

"What?" Kate says flicking her eyes in Castle's direction once more before setting on her friend.

"Don't what me. For two people who are supposed to be each others dates, you're doing a terrible job at it."

"Well what do you expect us to do? Hold hands?"

"Yes!" Kate shakes her head and takes another sip of her wine, the sweetness helps settle some of her nerves. "Go ask him to dance. A nice upbeat song can't hurt."

She considers it, but before she can even take a step in his direction Jenny's mom is taking his hand and leading him to the dance floor.

"Better get moving to make him yours, Kate. That's when it'll really hurt, when some other woman is claiming him."

* * *

The second he gets out on the dance floor with Jenny's lovely mother, the song changes from the nice upbeat tempo to a slow piano ballad, the intro of a song he hasn't heard in years. He somehow manages to keep Kate in his eyesight as he dances with Jenny's mom.

The song has Ryan and Jenny smiling like the lovebirds they are and his partner seems to like it as well as she hums along to the melody.

But it's the lyrics that get to him.

_"oh you're in my veins and I cannot get you out."_

"Mrs. O'Malley it's been a pleasure, but I-"

"Oh it's okay, dear. Go on and dance with your girl! I don't mind a bit."

"Thank you," he smiles and pecks her on the cheek. When he looks over at Kate her gaze is seeping into him, causing his stomach to twist and flutter in ways only she makes it.

Castle takes the glass from her hands and gives it to Lanie with a shy smile. "Would you like to d..dance?" His stutter is almost infinitesimal, but he pretends to be smooth anyway. He can't deny she makes him nervous, especially when she's looking at him like he's her whole world, her everything.

"I'd love to, Castle." She's adorable, her flushed cheeks and coy smile make him want to hold her forever, keep her safe in his arms.

"Hmm," he sings as they begin to sway to the mixture of piano and acoustic guitar, the beat of the drum as lyrics rip hearts out.

_"Oh you're all I taste at night inside of my mouth."_

His hand is wrapped around her waist and he feels her breath shudder with every truth spoken in the song. _"Oh I cannot get you out." _For a split second he wonders if this could be it, the moment where everything finally comes together and there are no more doubts about her feelings. But she clears her throat and steels herself against him.

It's not one of those moments. He tries not to let his disappointment show.

* * *

She's trying to control her breathing. In through her nose out through her mouth, but dammit nothing is working. Castle's hand is so warm, heat seeping into her skin, making her tipsy on want, her arousal beginning to secrete onto her underwear.

Her nipples are tightening and pushing against the fabric of her bra, her thigh muscles clenching, desperate to bind around his waist so her hips can do naughty naughty things to him and-

God, she is _never _dancing with him again.

Kate rests her head in the crook of his neck while the bridge of the song plays. And suddenly the voices in her head that are always telling her she's not ready yet (not ready, not yet, not good enough, not ready, not yet, not good enough) is silent. And in this moment it's just the two of them.

His feelings for her are bare, his love beaming from his eyes, radiating out of his skin, and she looks up at him hoping he can see it in hers too, hoping he can see everything she isn't ready to say, and he's leaning in now and Kate's heart is beating so quickly he must feel it against his own.

She closes her eyes, tilts her head, and then the song ends and the noise from the party comes crashing down on them and the moment she hoped would bring them together is lost.

* * *

She goes step away from the temptation of kissing him senseless, but Castle wraps both of his large arms around her waist locking them together.

"What're yo- what're you doing?" She asks, lips between her teeth, fingers scrunched in her dress to keep from trembling.

The smile he gives her is full of mischief and she scrunches her eyes and purses her lips. "What?"

"Keep dancing with me. Come on, one more. You know you want to." He leans down to whisper in her ear, his breath warm as it tickles the skin of her neck. "Please, Kate. Stay."

The next song is slow, but has an Irish tone to it, and sure enough, when she looks over Ryan, Jenny, his sister and brother in law are dancing in quadrilles.

Kate lets herself fall into step with him, her arms twining around his neck. Behind him the sun is beginning to set and the light sets his face a glow, letting the blue of his eyes stand out like the only shred of light in a dark room; so bright that she can't look away.

_"Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips. We should just kiss like real people do."_

Her heart rate increases when she sees his irises darken, his pupils dilate, and his hold on her tightens.

Kate's eyes flutter closed for a second before flying back to meet his.

She's never seen him so serious before.

She swallows, her breathing getting heavier, her heart beating a mile a minute. This is happening.

* * *

Castle takes one hand from around her waist to spin her twice, and when she's back in his arms it hits him dead in the chest. It's so clear to him now, all his doubts, all his second guessing, she wants him. She wants him just as much as he wants her and what are they waiting for?

He can't possibly be mistaking the glint in her eyes, the way her body molds so delicately to his.

_"Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips."_

It all reads like nonsense now; the subtext, the longing, the teasing, and banter. What was it all for if not for show? "Kate," he whispers, his voice hoarse and full of emotion.

_"...sweet lips on my lips."_

She gazes past him for a moment, before she settles back on him. Her mouth opens then closes, her hesitance so evident in her expression and body language.

_"I could not ask and neither could you." _

Castle takes a chance and leans his forehead against Kate's, pulling in her closer so her body is completely compressed against his. What are they waiting for?

_"We should just kiss..." _

Her mouth is joined with his before he can even attempt to lean in. Her arms clamp around his neck, crushing them together.

She's like magic on his tongue, his lips tingling, and God he doesn't know what to do with his hands. They want to be everywhere at once, he wants to feel the soft skin of her neck, the curve of her waist, the delicateness of her cheeks. Everything, everywhere.

Kate's fingers find purchase in his hair and she clenches them, sending fireworks down his spine. She lifts herself on her toes trying to get a better angle on his mouth, but is failing miserably.

He can't help but laugh at her struggle, but he lifts her, wraps both long arms secure around her middle.

"Mmmmmmmmm," she moans loud and long; the sound makes his toes curl and his heart beat that much faster. This moment is so surreal, but he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Without hesitation she pushes her tongue past his lips and he groans, his hips bucking modestly, and the way she moans after that should be illegal.

He sets her back down and places both hands on either side of her face. Her hands grips his wrists and she continues to push her body into his, and it's no doubt she feels just how _excited _he is about this. She's going to be the death of him and he couldn't think of a better way to go.

* * *

He's still so engrossed in Kate and her body and all the sinful sounds she's making against him, because of him, that he doesn't register all the clapping that's going on around them.

It takes Lanie to pull them apart for him to realize what's happening.

"IT'S ABOUT TIME!" Ryan yells, his face alight with joy as he looks at him and Kate.

Kate's blushing, her head bowed low as the clapping dies down, and he so he holds her; just trying to make her feel safe in his arms.

He wonders how long everyone had been staring at them.

"Congrats, you two. It's about damn time," says Esposito, his smirk making Kate even more embarrassed. She's so cute.

She flicks her eyes up at him when the attention is shifting from them back to Ryan and Jenny. She's smiling bright and he hopes this is a good sign. He wouldn't be able to handle it if she backed out now, not after he laid his heart bare, gave away the only thing he had in his corner in this little game they play.

But she leans in to steal another kiss from his lips, this one chaste and innocent, before she takes his hand in hers and leads him back to the party. Her thumb start rubbing small circles against the back of his hand and he knows for sure that this is real, that she is diving in with him.

* * *

Thank you to castlefanfics for all her hard work and dedication to this fandom. You are forever cherished.

Thank you for reading :)


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